Essentials of Diseases of the Skin: Including the Syphilodermata Arranged in the Form of Questions and Answers Prepared Especially for Students of MedicineStelwagon, Henry Weightman
Science
Essentials of Diseases of the Skin: Including the Syphilodermata Arranged in the Form of Questions and Answers Prepared Especially for Students of Medicine
Stelwagon, Henry Weightman
Skin -- Diseases
The result of treatment is usually favorable, although the disease is
often rebellious. Relapses are not uncommon.
#How would you treat a case of comedo?#
By systemic (if indicated) and local measures.
The constitutional treatment aims at correction or palliation of the
predisposing conditions, and the external applications have in view a
removal of the sebaceous plugs and stimulation of the glands and skin to
healthy action.
[Illustration: Fig. 9. Comedo Extractor.]
#Name the systemic remedies commonly employed.#
Cod-liver oil, iron, quinine, arsenic, nux vomica and other tonics;
ergot in those cases in which there is lack of muscular tone, salines
and aperient pills in constipation. The digestion is to be looked after
and the bowels kept regular; indigestible food of all kinds is to be
interdicted. Hygienic measures, such as general and local bathing, local
massage, calisthenics, and open-air exercise, are of service.
#Describe the local treatment.#
Steaming the face or prolonged applications of hot water; washing with
ordinary toilet soap and hot water, or, in sluggish cases, using
tincture of green soap (tinct. saponis viridis) instead of the toilet
soap; removal of the sebaceous plugs by mechanical means, such as
lateral pressure with the finger ends or perpendicular pressure with a
watch-key with rounded edges, or with an instrument specially contrived
for this purpose; and after these preliminary measures, which should be
carried out every night, a stimulating sulphur ointment or lotion, such
as employed in the treatment of acne (_q. v._), is to be thoroughly
applied. The following is valuable:--
[Rx] Zinci sulphatis,
Potassi sulphureti, . [=a][=a] ....... [dram]j-[dram]iv.
Alcoholi ............................. f[Oz]ss.
Aquae, ................. q.s. ad ...... f[Oz]iv. M.
Should slight scaliness or a mild degree of irritation of the skin be
brought about, active external treatment is to be discontinued for a few
days and soothing applications made. Resorcin, in lotion, 3 to 25 per
cent strength, is through the exfoliation it provokes, frequently of
value; the resorcin paste referred to in acne can also be used for this
purpose.
Moderately strong applications of the Faradic current, repeated once or
twice weekly, are sometimes of service; also weak to moderately strong
applications of the continuous and high-frequency currents. Roentgen-ray
treatment can also be resorted to in extremely obstinate cases.
In occasional instances sulphur preparations not only fail to do good,
but materially aggravate the condition. In such cases, if resorcin
preparations also fail, the mercurial lotion and ointment employed in
acne may be prescribed. Mercurial and sulphur applications should not be
used, it need scarcely be said, within a week or ten days of each other,
otherwise an increase in the comedones and a slight darkening of the
skin result from the formation of the black sulphuret of mercury.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Essentials of Diseases of the Skin: Including the Syphilodermata Arranged in the Form of Questions and Answers Prepared Especially for Students of Medicine — John Shaqi
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account